U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865
Ocmulgee Sheep's Coats Needed By Cold Soldiers At Fredericksburg
This article is compiled by Julian Williams.
We can never be sure just what crossed the minds of the Telfair soldiers at Fredericksburg in mid-December, 1862. We can guess, because of their efforts to sleep during the cold nights at their battle stations, they were thinking of the warmth that could be afforded by the wooly coats of the many Telfair sheep back home. During and after the Civil War years there were many sheep in the county. One writer said that in the post Civil War days there were between 3 and 4 sheep per person in the counties of Telfair and Montgomery. One shipment of over 40,000 pounds of wool found its way to the to the McVille (now Scotland, Georgia) railroad station during this time period. By 1910 there was only one sheep for every ten persons. But wishing for a wool blanket was about like wishing for a mutton chop. Even a pair of shoes would help.
Lost in heavy slumbers,
Free from toil and strife,
Dreaming of their dear ones --
Home, and child, and wife --
Tentless they are lying,
While the fires burn low --
Lying in their blankets
'Midst December's snow.
And they were lucky if they had that blanket - or any covering. And others were probably dreaming of better things than war - like getting a furlough home as the winter campaign drew to a close. Still others were hoping for a letter from home. Some were probably trying to check on acquaintances in other companies who had been killed or wounded in the great battle the day before (December 13). Capt. George Daniel Willcox of Irwin County (then joining Telfair to the southwest because there was no Ben Hill County at the time) had been wounded. His wife, Elizabeth Wells, daughter of Henry L. Wells, would be anxiously waiting to hear how he was doing -- maybe one of the boys could write something for him. Capt. Alexander McLennan, who would come to McVille after the war as a prominent citizen, had been wounded in the thigh. Lovett Harrell who had joined Company K up in Pulaski County (then adjacent to Telfair) was to die on December 27, 1862. Sometimes life and death lingered before coming to terms. John D. Willcox, originally a soldier with Telfair's Company B had transferred to Company F (Irwin - at the time just across the river from Telfair). He was to die on January 1, 1863. He had just been appointed as 2nd Lieutenant. Accidentally wounded, he developed blood poison and died.
And, Telfair's Company B had these casualties:
William H. Brewer, Wounded, Fredericksburg. Died in hospital, December 14, 1862.
Sgt. W.B. Barker, Died, Fredericksburg, December 17, 1862.
David J. Bowen, Died, December 18, 1862, at Receiving Hospital, Gordonsville, VA.
Lt. William Hatton, Died, Fredericksburg, December 29, 1862. He is buried in the Confederate Cemetery at Lynchburg, VA, No. 6, 4th Line, Lot 123 (or 13) - Ferguson's.
Thomas Ryals, Died of disease at Wilson, NC, January 7, 1863.
James H. Clarke, Discharged, Disabled by rheumatism, Farmsdale, VA, January 31, 1863.
William H. Minix, Died, General Hospital, Lynchburg, VA, February 6 or 7, 1863. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery, No. 4, 2nd Line, Lot 191 - Miller's.
William Morgan McDuffie, Died, At home with typhoid fever, March 13, 1863.
Wiley Howard, Died, Pneumonia, Richmond, VA, hospital, April 5, 1863. He is buried there in Hollywood Cemetery.
William M. McRanie, Died, Pneumonia, Fredericksburg, VA, April 15, 1863.
Despite all the above wounds, sicknesses, and deaths the following report was issued: During the month of April, 1863, notes of preparation for the opening of the spring campaign began to sound once more. Baggage was sent to the rear and all the signs indicated an early clash of arms. On no occasion had the health of the regiment been better, and the men were ready and eager for the fray. A liberal system of furloughing had been initiated during the past winter, giving many soldiers the opportunity to visit home and on returning, they were ready to fight again. I suppose all things are relative.
By this time Captain Samuel T. Player was in command of the regiment. Colonel Andrew Jackson Lane had been wounded at Mechanicsville. Afterward, Lt. Colonel Seaborn M. Manning was killed at Cedar Run. Next, Major Jonathan Rivers was wounded in the leg at Ox Hill (Chantilly) which nessitated the amputation of a foot. The war was taking its toll. And the men of Telfair County were in the middle of it all.
But, under Captain Player the regiment went into the Battle of Fredericksburg on 13 December 1862, where it fully sustained its former reputation for dash and gallantry, losing twelve killed and forty-seven wounded. With the Battle of Fredericksburg ended the campaign of 1862.
In December of 1862 Thomas J. Smith, Sr. was elected as 2nd Lieutenant in Company B (Telfair) and Lucius L. Williams was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. In January of 1863 Moses F. McInnes was appointed 2nd Sergeant. William B. Parker was appointed 3rd Sgt, replacing Washington T. Wells who had been discharged. John J. Ray was appointed 1st Corporal, replacing Francis Campbell who had died of typhoid fever.
After losing the confidence of his men at Fredericksburg and the subsequent "Mud March," Union General Burnside became the target of fellow officers who sought his removal. The officers involved did not become favorites of Lincoln for telling on Burnside, a friend of the President. But, even Ole Abe had muttered that Burnside had managed "to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." So, Lincoln removed Burnside from the command of the army and replaced him with General Joseph Hooker (some say that he was no better as far as generals go).
General Lee hated to see Burnside go because, like McClellan, Lee could pretty well figure out what those fellows were up to. "We always understood each other so well, I fear they may continue to make changes till they find someone whom I don't understand." That statement, though tongue-in-cheek, was also prophetic. General U.S. Grant was in the wings.
But, this time the Confederates would claim victory. The Federals, according to one source, had 120,281 men at Fredericksburg. The South had 78,513. Total casualties for the North were 12,653; the South had 5,309. But the South could ill afford to lose any.
